The End Of An Era
by Anime Girl23
Summary: For their friends, graduation was something to be happy about. Independence. College. Getting out of Lima. For Puck and Quinn, though, all of that was overpowered by the absence of the one person they really wanted there. Puck/Quinn


So today is my last day of classes for... Well, ever. My college graduation is in less than two weeks, so woot. Thought I'd celebrate this last day of classes with a Quick graduation fic, so... Here you go.

As always, reviews are love. Even if it's something short.

Disclaimer: Glee doesn't belong to me.

The End Of An Era  
One-shot

For their friends, graduation was something to be happy about. Finn, Kurt, and Rachel were heading off for New York soon. Mike was going to OSU while he waited for Tina to graduate. Everyone was looking forward to the things that came after they walked off the football field with their diplomas in their hand. They weren't letting themselves think about the fact that in a few short months, they'd be scattered across the country. They weren't letting themselves think about the friendships that could and probably would become strained before they eventually became nothing.

For Puck and Quinn, though, they could only focus on the fact that the most important person wasn't there to see them walk across that stage. They didn't even know where Beth was now. Hadn't heard from Shelby since she disappeared from Lima and left behind an empty apartment with Puck's clown pig still hanging on the refrigerator.

Puck watched Quinn from his seat as she walked across the stage, still a little wobbly but _walking_. Watched her search the crowd as if she'd suddenly appear when she hadn't been there the last seventeen times they looked. He caught her eye when she looked towards him and he gave her some sad smile that he hoped said everything he couldn't right then.

_I miss her, too._

_ I'm sorry._

_ Keep going before Josh Farron walks into you._

She gave him that same smile with the same messages (except, for him, it was Brianna Pushler) when he walked across the stage. Right after his sister, she was the one cheering the loudest when he shook Figgins' hand and took the diploma he'd thought he might never get.

He'd done it. He graduated. He did what his father didn't. He did what so many people said he couldn't.

He'd done it for Beth. So that, even if he did nothing special with the rest of his life, maybe she could be proud of him for this.

Quinn found him after graduation, smiling that smile that always made his fucking knees feel like jelly, and hugged him. He hugged back just as tight, because _shit_. She was going to be in New Haven soon and he'd be in LA and… She wouldn't be there for him to see every day. Somehow, Puck thought that scared him more than the idea of going to California on his own.

He could see Judy over to the right, holding onto Quinn's cap as she spoke to Santana's parents. Noticed when Quinn pulled back that her gown was unzipped now and he could see the white dress with the little black band around her waist. Combined with the red of the gown, it made him smile. Quinn Fabray, forever wearing her McKinley colors.

She took the cap out of his hand and put it back on his head, smiling softly as she moved the tassel to the correct side. "Congratulations."

"Congrats. Ready for Yale?"

"Barely," she admitted. "I can't believe…"

"Yeah."

She sighed as she pulled him down onto a couple of free chairs. Leaned against his shoulder, because she had to be tired after having her mother drag her around the field. He could see the way her legs were shaking and he put a hand over one of her knees. Rubbed his thumb against a quivering muscle.

"Where's Joe?"

"We broke up." He gave a quiet grunt, not really sure if he was supposed to say sorry or not, because well, he hadn't really approved of them in the first place. "We just… It wasn't right."

This time, he was sure his grunt sounded a little like he was saying _no shit_. Quinn seemed to understand it, though, and she gave him a little nudge before she settled back down to watch the rest of their class run around to say their goodbyes.

"Do you think she'd be proud of us?"

Quinn's whispered question made something in his chest twist and he needed a second to push it back before he could answer her.

"We graduated, Q. Even with everything these last few years, we graduated and we're getting out of this damn town. So, yeah. She'd be proud of us."

Quinn nodded against his shoulder and he was pretty sure he heard a sniffle as he pulled her closer to him. Rested his chin on top of her head and let out a slow breath, because Beth would definitely be proud of them. In spite of everything, they did it. Juvie. Pink hair and Quinn's seriously late diagnosis of Post-Partum Depression. The accident and the chair. His dad coming back just to take off again. They'd both been through the ringer these last couple years.

Now, it was time to move on. Off to completely opposite ends of the country.

Quinn pressed her face against his arm and he thought he might have felt her lips press against the fabric of his graduation gown. Dropped a kiss on top of her hair just in case and figured he was right when he heard her give this content little giggle.

His arm felt cold when she pulled away to look at him.

"Be careful in LA, okay?"

"So long as you kick ass at Yale."

"Deal."

She smiled at him, bottom lip drawn between her teeth, happy and completely fucking terrified at the same time. He just pulled her back against him and felt when she wrapped her arms around his waist. Inhaled the scent of her perfume and tried to not remember how the smell had stuck to his pillows for weeks after she moved out of his house. Failed and breathed it in again, because this was going to be his last chance to do it for fuck knows how long. He might as well use the time now and commit it to memory.

He caught Santana's eye across the crowd and glared at her when she smirked at them. Mouthed at her to fuck off as she gave him her I-told-you-so eyes.

Quinn sighed against him and told him to stay in touch.

Told her he would. Didn't tell her that if LA didn't work out… Well, he did like snow.

The End

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